Ash
Ash (lat. Fraxinus) is an ornamental plant; tree of the olive family (Oleaceae). In nature, ash is found in North America, Central Europe, Japan and the Far East.
Ash is a long-liver, some existing forms are 250-300 years old. There are currently 51 species.
Characteristics of culture
Ash is a deciduous tree 25-35 m high, some specimens reach 60 m. The trunk is up to 1 m in diameter, the crown is highly raised, elongated-ovate or broadly rounded. The branches are sparse, thick, arched, directed upward. The bark is smooth over the entire surface, in the lower part it is finely fissured, ash-gray in color. The root system is powerful and does not have a taproot.
The buds are large, black, finely speckled. The leaves are unequally pinnate, opposite, reach 25-40 cm in length, and consist of 7-15 leaflets. The leaves are sessile, lanceolate, 4-9 cm long, the base is wedge-shaped and entire. On the outside the leaves are dark green and bare, on the inside they have protruding whitish veins.
The flowers are small, wind-pollinated, collected in compressed bunch-shaped panicles, have no perianth, lack aroma, can be purple or dark brown in color, located on leafless branches. The fruit is a lionfish, lanceolate or oblong-elliptical in shape, with a notch. The seeds ripen in the fall and remain on the branches until spring.
Growing conditions
Ash is a light-loving crop and develops best in well-lit areas. The plant is demanding regarding soil conditions; it prefers drained, moderately moist soils rich in organic matter and calcium with a pH of 6-7. Negatively relates to saline soils with stagnant water. Ash is resistant to prolonged drought, smoke and pollution. Most varieties are frost-resistant.
Reproduction and planting
In nature, ash trees reproduce by self-seeding, in culture — by cuttings and layering. Among gardeners, the most common method of planting is with seedlings purchased from specialized nurseries or grown in natural conditions. The planting hole is prepared in advance; its dimensions should be 1/3 larger than the earthen ball on the roots of the seedling.
Drainage in the form of crushed stone, small pebbles or coarse river sand is poured into the bottom of the hole, then a substrate consisting of leaf soil, humus and sand (1:2:1) is added, a couple of buckets of water are poured in, the seedling is lowered and compacted with the remaining soil mixture. Important: the root collar of the seedling should be located 10-12 cm above the ground surface. After planting, the young plants are watered and the tree trunk circles are mulched with peat.
Care
Ash is a moisture-loving plant; in dry periods it needs abundant, but not excessive watering. The crop responds positively to fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. The first feeding is carried out in early spring, the second — in late autumn, but before the onset of stable frosts. Ash trees require systematic loosening and weeding around the tree trunks.
Ash pruning is treated extremely negatively; it is recommended to remove only dry, damaged, diseased and frostbitten branches. very often plants are affected by cancerous ulcers. Dealing with them is quite simple: they are cut out with a knife, and the areas cleared of lesions are treated with an antiseptic and covered with garden varnish.
Application
Decorative forms of culture are used to create various garden and park compositions. The plant is often used as a spectacular background for low-growing flowering shrubs. Ash trees look great near ponds, walls of houses and outbuildings. The wood of the crop is used in the manufacture of sports equipment, furniture, interior items, musical instruments, etc. The fruits, leaves and bark of plants are used in folk medicine, and the juice extracted from the fruits is used in the food industry.
